toonami
A programming block on the Cartoon Network/Adult Swim channel, geared towards airing action animation, generally manifesting itself in more action-oriented Western cartoons and, famously, anime. It originally ran from 1997 to 2008 on Cartoon Network, before a 2012 Adult Swim Toonami-themed April Fools would lead to the block being revived that same year, and running on Adult Swim ever since.
The block was originally hosted by the Space Ghost Coast to Coast incarnation of Moltar, before the Toonami Operations Module, or TOM, debuted in 1999 to take over hosting responsibilities. TOM has switched bodies several times since his debut.
On Cartoon Network Japan, Toonami existed as a block from 2002 (during TOM 2's run) up to 2008 when it was cancelled around the same time as the US original was. TOM was subtitled in his appearances there. In 2018, for Adult Swim's April Fools, Toonami would partially air in Japanese, with TOM being voiced by Masa Kanome.
Toonami/Warner anime co-productions in release order
- The Big O (anime, season 2)
- IGPX
- FLCL Progressive and Alternative
- Kaizoku Oujo
- Blade Runner: Black Lotus
- Shenmue the Animation
- C Danshi [C団地]
- FLCL Grunge and Shoegaze
- Rick and Morty: The Anime
- Uzumaki (anime)
- Lazarus
- Ninja Kamui
- The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim